Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imprint apparatus and an article manufacturing method.
Description of the Related Art
As the demand for microfabrication of semiconductor devices or MEMS increases, not only a conventional photolithography technique but also a microfabrication technique in which an uncured resin supplied to a substrate (wafer) is molded by a mold to thereby form a resin pattern on the substrate have been receiving attention. This technique is also referred to as an “imprint technique”, by which a fine structure with dimensions of a few nanometers can be formed on a substrate. One example of imprint techniques includes a photo-curing method. An imprint apparatus employing the photo-curing method first supplies an uncured resin (photocurable resin) to a patterning region on a substrate. Next, the resin on the substrate is brought into contact with (is molded against) the mold with a pattern thereon. The resin is cured by irradiation of light while the resin is in contact with the mold. By expanding a space between the substrate and the mold (by releasing the mold from the cured resin), a resin pattern is formed on the substrate.
Upon manufacturing, for example, semiconductor devices, using such an imprint apparatus, a resin is typically applied to (dripped on) a shot in the inkjet system each time a pattern is formed on each shot, i.e., each time a mold is pressed against the resin. Here, if a resin includes particles upon applying the resin to a substrate, normal pattern formation is inhibited by the remaining presence of particles in the pattern section, resulting in occurrence of a pattern defect. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. H8-244250 discloses an inkjet recording apparatus in which a filter for restricting foreign matters or the like having a diameter of greater than 10 μm from passing therethrough is arranged in the flow paths on the (forward route) side through which the ink flows in an inkjet head and the (return route) side through which the ink flows out from the inkjet head. Also, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. H8-244250 discloses that a pump which is arranged between the filter on the return route side and the ink tank is activated upon recovery operation to remove air bubbles accumulated in the filter by securing a flow rate equivalent to that on the forward route side. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-098310 discloses an inkjet recording apparatus in which a filter member having a diameter of 5 μm or greater is provided at the rear side of an element substrate for an inkjet head and pumps are provided between the ink tank and the inkjet head on each of the forward route side and the return route side. Also, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-098310 discloses that a looser filter than the filter member is provided at the inlet of the inkjet head.